Wayward began as a Katrina recovery blog in 2006 but has since wandered off to consider the intersections of faith, politics, and the environment and a life lived between DC & Idaho.

Sunday, January 25, 2009

The five most remarkable people I know

Here is a list of the five most remarkable and/or inspiring people in my life, excluding my parents, both amazing people who have been through quite a lot. These are people I know or with whom have at least had extended contact, so it doesn't include personal heroes like Oscar Romero or Robert Kennedy. The list is in alphabetical order by first name and is in no other particular order. (I wanted to make a list of ten people, but this was put together fairly quickly. As such, I do have a question for one of my regular readers: Mom, who am I forgetting?)

John-John, my mom’s dad, a man who dodged mob ties to build his own honest fortune and continues to pass along his values in his 8th decade

And an honorable mention: I would add Vice President Joe Biden to this list, but I have not interacted with him enough to be able to claim I really know him personally. There may have been a time when he would have recognized my face, but never my name, and even that time is long past. Still, his life story and his enduring values are both remarkable and inspiring.

No. That's a position for life. Reagan elevated the Nixon-apointed Justice Rhenquist to Chief Justice, and he stayed that way through the Clinton years. Get used to the phrase "Chief Justice Roberts;" we're going to hear it for another 30-40 years.

I wouldn't quite put it that way. Having the Chief Justice in your party isn't *that* big a deal. His main influence comes in picking who writes the opinions for his side of the case. What matters more is the SCOTUS majority, which is always in flux. It will remain middle leaning conservative for quite some time, but it's hardly a solid-right majority. Now, had McCain won and gotten to pick the replacements for Jones, Souter, or Ginsberg if any of them retire, THAT would have been a major coup.